Milrinone: An advancement in the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease Authors Hemaila Tariq Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan Bilal Ahmed Department of Psychiatry, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan Muhammad Yusuf Hafiz Department of Psychiatry, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan DOI: https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.4717 Abstract Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease with a progressive degeneration of behavioral and cognitive functions such as memory. [1] Alzheimer's disease is characterized by amyloid-B plaques, tau protein hyperphosphorylation, microglial cell activation and release of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1B leading to disease progression. Amyloid-B plaques act on Toll-like receptors on microglial cells, thereby activating them and causing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. [2] Milrinone is a Phosphodiesterase inhibitor that has vasodilatory effects in the vasculature and has shown to suppress neurocytes apoptosis and inflammation. [3]. A study performed on APP/PSI transgenic mice demonstrated that milrinone reduces formation of amyloid-B plaques, suppresses tau protein hyperphosphorylation and release of inflammatory cytokines and reduces neuroinflammation therefore improving memory and cognitive functioning and helps reduce the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.[4] As per recent statistics, low-middle income countries constitute 58% of the world's aging population and this is expected to reach 68% by 2050. China, South Asian countries including Pakistan and Western pacific neighbors have reported the fastest growth in their geriatric population (5). In Pakistan, a country of approximately 220 million people with an increasing elderly population, there are very limited dementia trained specialists and available treatment options (6). Milrinone, a drug conventionally being used in cardiovascular treatments, could help bridge this gap and allow us to cater to the increasing burden of Alzheimer’s disease in Pakistan. Downloads Full Text Article Published 2022-02-19 How to Cite Tariq, H., Ahmed, B., & Hafiz, M. Y. (2022). Milrinone: An advancement in the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 72(6), 1246–1246. https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.4717 More Citation Formats ACM ACS APA ABNT Chicago Harvard IEEE MLA Turabian Vancouver Download Citation Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS) BibTeX Issue Vol. 72 No. 6 (2022): June Section Letter to the Editor